Monday, 4 July 2011

The Shortest Day

So far this summer boating has consisted of a series of marathon runs of up to 15 hours whilst I try to fit it in with all the other calls on my time that have arisen. This was different.

Starcross had been on a 7-day visitor mooring for - ahem - eight days. Actually it was worse than that as when I arrived to take the last free spot on the mooring I was asked by a local boater how long I intended staying. When I told him, he suggested I move back a few metres because, although on an official mooring, I was fouling the launch area of the local canoe club "and the old dragon that runs it won't be very pleased. . ." (apologies, Madam, if you are reading this!)

I was now in an area signed as "No Mooring, Reserved for Disabled Anglers", but when I asked about them I was told he'd been mooring opposite for four years and had never seen one.So on the basis of it being better not to upset someone who did exist rather than someone that might not, I did as he suggested.

In any case it was now high time that Starcross was moved, so we diverted a Hereford to Lancaster car journey to call in and do the deed. I'd spotted a suitable piled area occupied by a number of other boats and with unrestricted (i.e. 14 day) mooring nearby so we arrived at the boat, untied, moved the boat, tied up again and had a cup of tea all in the space of half-an-hour.

At 250 metres, or as Nick Addy's Canal Planner would have it, one and a quarter furlongs, it was the shortest day's run we've ever had.

And before anyone accuses me of "bridge-hopping" or "continuous mooring", I have a perfectly good permanent mooring at Norbury Junction that I pay handsomely for!